Helping You to Help Your Children

10 Top Quick Tips Reading (download below):

ZooBooKoo has many years experience
researching and designing educational toys and games

1. Read to your child every night
2. Follow the words with your finger
3. Ask your child to read to you at breakfast time
4. Have a chart to tick each time the reading is completed
5. Variety and rewards – a little and often
6. A special bookmark
7. Read your books and magazines while your children read
8. Cut out interesting articles from the newspaper
9. Talk with your child’s teacher
10. Play word games on the go

1. Read to your child every night, even if it’s only a couple of pages.
Sometimes it’s the last thing your feel like in the evening, but this is
probably the most important way you can help your child get into
reading. And they love it!

2. Follow the words with your finger or corner of a bookmark as you
read. Over time you can deliberately not say a word and the child says
it. Pick easy words, just to check they are following. Or even say the
wrong word, and the child will correct you. Then the child can read a
sentence on each page, and build up to a paragraph. But remember,
you reading to your child is their treat so do not overdo the testing.

3. Ask your child to read to you at breakfast time. This could be
homework reading or their chosen book. Children are fresher in the
morning, especially those who may be struggling. I know mornings can
be difficult but if you work the reading into your routine at breakfast, your
evenings will be less stressed. Take 5 to 10 minutes at the breakfast
table to work through the reading. An older sibling could do this, even
taking turns with the parent(s).

4. Have a chart to tick each time the reading is completed. Lots of
positive comments and feedback. Smile and be calm. If you are
frustrated, image how they feel. Remember it will get easier. Reward
the reading at the end of each week.

5. Variety is the spice of life – find your nearest second-hand book shop or
visit car boot sales. A new book every week (which probably won’t set
you back more than 30p or so) is a wonderful reward, a great trip out, the
child can choose and it is all part of the reading experience. Encourage
a little of many different types of reading materials as often as possible

6. A bookmark can make the book you are reading very special.

7. Read your books and magazines while your children read. Children
learn by copying, whether consciously or subconsciously. So you should
try to read. Curl up on the sofa with the paper, a magazine or a book
and encourage your child to do the same with their book, even just for
five or ten minutes. Try to make this part of your routine. This is lovely
quiet time.

8. Cut out interesting articles from the newspaper that would interest
your child – funny or serious - football, animals, local people or places
they know. Read them out loud, pointing to the words. Pursue any
discussion that follows – this is a great vocabulary builder.

9. Talk with your child’s teacher. If you are concerned that your child is
not reading as competently as you would expect, discuss this with their
teacher. Agree a way forward with objectives and time frames. You may
also consider evaluation for possible dyslexia or an eye test (both
generally and for colour sensitivity). But remember, many children do
learn to read slowly.

10. Play word games on the go - in the car, restaurants, waiting rooms… –
I spy; word association (first word you think of when I say ‘cat’); make a
sentence using each letter in turn of the car registration plate in front.

Useful Links:

Word game ideas:
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/family_travel/108297

Dyslexia:
http://www.dyslexiaaction.org.uk/

Colour sensitivity:
http://www.irlen.org.uk/ or some local opticians are able to offer screening

Helpful educational toys & games:
Educational Toys & Games - Word forming cube

Funny snippets with useful info:
http://itsaparentslife.blogspot.com/